Magic Johnson says Luka Doncic must take | College News
Magic Johnson is over the moon concerning the Lakers’ shock acquisition of former Dallas Mavericks celebrity Luka Doncic over the weekend.
On Sunday, the Showtime-era legend posted no fewer than seven occasions on X expressing his pleasure with the transaction and his pleasure for the Lakers’ future. Johnson stated he “can hardly wait to see Luka in a Lakers jersey in Crypto arena,” that the deal “is amazing for the NBA” and that Doncic “will definitely make the Lakers a championship-contending team.”
He additionally in contrast the transfer to the Dodgers — a crew by which Johnson owns a minority stake — signing Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani earlier than their 2024 World Series championship season.
Johnson did, nonetheless, have one tiny critique of types geared toward Doncic, tucked on the very finish of one of his posts.
“LeBron James will be a positive influence on Luka,” Johnson wrote, “teaching him his championship mentality that includes taking his conditioning seriously.”
Doncic has been named an All-Star in 5 of his seven NBA seasons. Last yr, he completed third within the league’s MVP voting, gained the trophy for Western Conference finals MVP (which occurs to be named after Johnson) and helped the Mavericks make the NBA Finals.
He is scheduled to be launched as a Laker on Tuesday morning, days after a blockbuster commerce despatched him, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to L.A. in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round draft decide (the Utah Jazz additionally acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers and second-round picks from L.A. and Dallas to facilitate the commerce).
The Times reported that Dallas common supervisor Nico Harrison approached Lakers GM Rob Pelinka concerning the chance of a deal. According to ESPN, one of the explanations the Mavericks initiated the talks was “significant frustration within the organization about Doncic’s lack of discipline regarding his diet and conditioning, which team sources considered a major factor in his injury issues.”
The 6-foot-6 Doncic is listed at 230 kilos, however ESPN reviews that “his weight ballooned to the high 260s early this season.” He hasn’t performed since struggling a calf harm on Christmas.
If there has ever been a function model for the sort of bodily dedication needed to attain constant greatness, Johnson is appropriate in noting that it’s James. At age 40 and in his twenty second season, James stays in high situation and continues to be one of the league’s best gamers, even after enjoying more regular-season minutes than anybody in NBA historical past.
So far, James’ solely public feedback on the commerce have been in appreciation of and properly needs for Davis, with whom he helped the Lakers win their seventeenth NBA championship in 2020.
“Love you my dog!!” James wrote on his Instagram Stories. “Go crazy over there!”
Johnson additionally gave high reward to Davis, in addition to Christie, in his X feedback.
Here’s every part Johnson needed to say about one of the most important trades in league historical past.
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